Multiple lipstick assembly



P 1950 J. DE MARIO 2,523,683

MULTIPLE LIPSTICK ASSEMBLY Filed Feb. 27, 1947" .bSEP/v DE MAE/0 Patented Sept. 26, 1950 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,523,683 MULTIPLE LIPSTICK ASSEMBLY Joseph De Mario, Pennsauken, N. J.

Application February 27, 1947, Serial No. 731,211 7 Claims. (01. 206-56) The present invention is directed to crayons, and more particularly to lipsticks, wherein a crayon-like body is held in container from which the same may be fed for use. 7

It has been common practice in lipstick devices to have a lipstick mounted on a suitable base and the unit held within a container. Means have been provided for propelling and retracting said lipstick during use. Such device has been in quite general use and it has become desirable that there be held in a single container a plurality of lipsticks of different shape, color or consistency, so that the user may have a choice of lipsticks for various occasions.

Some devices of this character have been offered for sale, but in general, they have been quite bulky and unsatisfactory in use. The present applicant has devised an improvement which is the subject matter of application Serial No. 640,076, filed January 9, 1946, entitled Lipstick Container now abandoned. According to said invention, applicant provided sector-shaped lipstick, units, all mounted or fixed in a single container. The container was relatively small and compact and it solved the difiiculty of providing a convenient arrangement which took up very little space and which was useable to great advantage for the desired purpose. The manufacturer was enabled to choose a series of different types of lipstick and mount them in a single compact assembly.

Because such assembly had to be accomplished in the factory, there were certain limitations on the types of lips-ticks which could be held in a single unit. It becomes desirable that the individual purchaser be able at the time of purchase to select a combination meeting the users needs, rather than to have to accept the combinations which happened to have been made up in advance.

The present invention is intended to overcome the difliculties and disadvantages of prior structures of the type described, it being among the objects of the present invention to provide a lipstick assembly which is small and compact and which may be readily carried in a, small purse and in which the several types of lipstick are easily and readily available for use.

It is also among the objects of the present invention to provide a lipstick assembly wherein each individual lipstick is sector-shaped and all of the units may be assembled to form a cylindrical unit.

It is still further among the objects of the present invention to provide a number of types of and is mounted in a suitable holder.

lipstick units, each of sector shape, which may be quickly and readily assembled or disassembled in a single base, at the option of the purchaser and in accordance with the purchasers individual tastes.

In practicing the present invention, there is provided a series of containers which are sectorshaped in cross-section. Said containers are open at the top and there is a longitudinal slot in the face of the arcuate side thereof. Within each container is a crayon which is also sector-shaped A fingerhold or flange extends from the holder into a longitudinal slot and it provides means whereby the lipstick in its holder may be propelled out of its container for use and may be retracted into the same for storage purposes.

There is further provided a disc-like base, preferably having openings therein corresponding to the several containers to be held thereon. The base has an upstanding annular flange and within the flange is an annular spring or a set of springs. An assembly is made of a, suitable number of containers to form a cylinder and the assembly is pushed into the space within the flange, compressing the spring so that the bottom of the container touches the base. Usually means are provided whereby said spring or springs may snap into place in suitable recesses in the lower part of the arcuate face of the containers to hold the same in place. a

In the accompanying drawings constituting a part hereof, and in which like reference characters indicate like parts,

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a container for a sector-shaped lipstick made in accordance with the present invention;

Fig. 2 is a view similar to Fig. 1, showing an assembly of three sector-shaped lipsticks, each covering an angle of to form a, cylindrical uni Fig. 3 is a view similar to Figs. 1 and 2, showing the base and the complete assembly;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan View of the base shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the base and flange showing the spring in position, and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary cross-sectional view taken through the lower part of the assembly of Fig. 3, some parts being shown in elevation for clearness.

With reference to Fig. 1, the lipstick container unit consists of a thin-walled container I, usually of metal, and arcuate in horizontal section. It

also includes members 2 and 3 which are flat and made along the line 4 at the center from which the radius 23 forms arcuate portion I. Within the container is a mass of lipstick 6 or other composition. This is held in cup or holder it! which fits within the container or casing so as to allow sliding movement thereof. The top H of holder ll] terminates near the bottom of container l. Secured to the outer face of holder i is plate [2 having a horizontally extending flange l3 passing through longitudinal slot 1 in the arcuate portion of container l. The top 8 of said slot terminates just below the top of container I. Thereby flange l3 constitutes a handhold so that by pressure of the fingers on the underside thereof, the holder IE] is caused to move upwardly and lipstick 6 to extend up out of the top of container I so that it may be used. Pressure downwardly on flange l3 retracts lipstick 6 within the container.

In some instances it is desirable to provide a recess or groove HS in the arcuate face of container I near the bottom I thereof. This recess maybe continuous or broken or may be entirely omitted in some cases.

The container of Fig. 1 is a sector of 120. Three such containers !6, l1 and [8 are assembled so that sides 2 and 3 thereof are in contact and the three sectors meet at apex I9, as shown in Fig. 2. The assembly is then ready to be locked in place in the base.

Said base has a circular annular flange 20 with three notches 2i therein, said notches being spaced 120 apart. The width of said notches is such as to readily accommodate flanges I3. The bottom 22 thereof is flat and has three openings 23, 24 and 25, spaced 120 apart. These are so located that the opening allows contact with the approximate center of the bottom of containers I6, I! and 18, respectively. Because of the presence of these openings, when it is desired to remove one of the lipstick containers for the purpose of replacement, it is merely necessary to press against the bottom thereof through the corresponding opening in bottom 22 against the action of the springs (described below) whereby a single container may be removed and another one pressed in its place. As shown in Figs. 5 and 6, an annular spring 26 is provided having the lower annular portion substantially in contact with the inner face of flange 213. There is an upper inwardly bowed portion 21 and the upper edge 28 of the spring is slightly below the in-turned upper edge 29 of flange 2U. Thereby sufflcient space is provided so that during the operation of pressing the containers into the base, there will be a space provided for the expansion of bowed spring 21. Then when the containers are in place, said portion 21 exerts suflicient pressure on the containers to hold them against accidental displacement.

In some instances, one or more cuts or slits an is provided in portion 2! to facilitate the action of the spring.

In the use of the invention, the retailer is supplied with a number of container units l of the various types of lipstick. When the customer has selected the three types desired, the retailer assembles them as shown in Fig. 2, forces them into base 20, as shown in Fig. 3, and then places a cap over the entire assembly. Such caps may be of any of the usual types of construction. From this it will be seen that applicant has provided a very simple and convenient arrangement whereby each of the customers may choose whatever types of lipstick are suited to the customers needs and quickly, without delay, have an assembly made which will suit all needs.

Although the invention has been described setting forth a single specific embodiment thereof, said embodiment does not limit the invention as it is intended to illustrate the character thereof. Various changes in the details of construction may be made within the spirit of the invention. For instance, instead of a single spring 2B-21, there may be a series of springs suitably held in place, or flange 20 may have a plurality of punched out members which may be substituted for separate springs. Groove It may be omitted and the spring pressure against the cylindrical side of each container will hold the same in place. Usually the container, base, spring and other elements are made of metals, but non-metallic materials may also be used in place thereof, as certain plastic substances are suitable as replacements for one or more of the elements described herein.

While the specific example shows the three sectors constituting a complete cylinder, it is equally feasible to have only two sectors, or more than three may be used. For instance, four or five sectors are quite feasible in a small and compact arrangement. Other details of construction may also be changed, as is well-known to those skilled in the art. Therefore, the invention is to 'be broadly construed and not to be limited except by the character of the claims appended hereto.

I claim:

1. An assembly comprising a plurality of con tainers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, said containers being relatively movable, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retracting said crayon, said means including a finger-piece on the face of the arcuate portion of said sector operating in a longitudinal slot therein, a disklike base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a cylindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being free from nclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot.

2. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, said containers being relatively movable, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retracting said crayon, a disk-like base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a cylindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being free from enclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot, and means for frictionally holding said assembly in said base against accidental displacement thereof.

3. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, said containers being relatively movable, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retracting said crayon, a disk-like base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a cylindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being free from enclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot, and means for frictionally holding said assembly in said base against accidental displacement thereof, including a spring within said flange and bearing against said containers. I

4. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, said containers being relatively movable, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retracting said crayon, a disk-like base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a cylindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being free from enclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot, and means for frictionally holding said assembly in said base against accidental displacement thereof, including a vertically positioned flat spring Within said flange and bearing against said containers.

5. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retracting said crayon, a disk-like base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a cylindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being fre from enclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot, and means for frictionally holding said assembly in said base against accidental displacement thereof, including a vertically positioned flat spring within said flange and bearing against said containers, said spring being annular.

6. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retracting said crayon, a disk-like base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a 03!- lindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being free from enclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot, and means for frictionally holding said assembly in said base against accidental displacement thereof, including a vertically positioned flat spring within said flange and bearing against said containers, recesses in the arcuate portion of said containers in which said spring seats.

7. An assembly comprising a plurality of containers open at the top and sector-shaped in cross-section, said containers being relatively movable, a crayon in each container, means in each container for propelling and retractingsaid crayon, a disk-like base separate from said containers and having an upstanding annular flange, said containers being assembled into a cylindrical unit, the major portion and top of said unit being free from enclosures, said unit being contained within said base, said flange surrounding the lower portion only of said assembly at the lower end of said slot, and a plurality of openings in said base to provide access to said containers, a groove near the bottom of said containers within said flange and a spring in said groove bearing on said base.

JOSEPH DE MARIO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS in the Date 

